


The Hardest Boss of the Genocide Route

by ArgentDandelion



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Essays, Gen, Nonfiction, Psychology, Undertale Genocide Route, Video Game Mechanics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 20:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20014009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentDandelion/pseuds/ArgentDandelion
Summary: Covers the hardest boss of Undertale's Genocide Route, and exactly why he's so difficult to fight.





	The Hardest Boss of the Genocide Route

For players of _Undertale_ , the Genocide Route is long, grueling, and painful. One of the biggest obstacles to completing it is one of its bosses. This boss is a skeleton aware of your murderous ways. He blocks your path, heroically standing in your way despite being so ill-suited to stop a mass murderer. His unusual tactics in battle chip away at your resolve; his words show his belief that you could be a better person if you tried.

That’s right….it’s Papyrus.

* * *

It’s typical of role-playing games (RPGs) for monsters, especially bosses, to be obstacles one must overcome through violence. For many games, violence, often deadly, is framed as the correct or the only path. It is commended, and every kill is rewarded with things like currency (e.g., gold), experience points, and greater strength. Over the course of an RPG, the player character can mow down hundreds of monsters, getting stronger and stronger.

Undertale subverts the typical violent trappings of an RPG. This is especially true for the Genocide Route, and particularly of Papyrus in that route. Other characters (e.g., Undyne the Undying) frame their confrontations against the human as battles of Good vs. Evil where the human ought to be killed, but Papyrus does not. Though he points out the frightening consequences of the player’s actions, he does not describe them as villainous, and in fact describes them in a largely non-negative way.

Furthermore, his words suggest he is concerned for the human’s safety. In-universe, this is a very strange and even dangerous position to take: humans slaughtered most monsters in a one-sided war long ago, and he knows this particular human has killed people and could kill him too. Still, despite knowing the great risk, he extends kindness and compassion, and in doing so provides cues against the RPG formula.

Papyrus suggests not killing is an option, and is confident he can help with it. Unlike most (e.g., Toriel) he can be spared immediately in-battle, so killing and sparing him are equally easy. His lack of desire to fight comes not from timidity, satisfaction or appeasement, but sheer faith in the human’s ability to make good choices.

In-universe, it would make sense for a human to fight back against life-threatening monsters. Yet, this isn’t the situation the player is actually in: it’s much easier to be a goody two-shoes pacifist when one can’t really feel the pain of being shot at with magical bullets. (Not to mention the ability to go back in time and try again upon death)   
Still, even without RPG cues a player is likely to identify as the player character, feeling threats against the player character as threats to themselves and acting accordingly. However, pre-battle Papyrus is presented as a goofy harmless antagonist, and in the Genocide Route ‘battle’ never attacks. It is through this, he negates the option of justifying killing in self-defense.[1](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fn:1)

Though it’s unlikely he’s using it intentionally,[2](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fn:2) his tactics are extra persuasive because they resemble that of a certain psychological technique. This technique, the labeling technique, is defined by the book “Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive”, in the following words: “[…]The labeling technique[…] involves assigning a trait, attitude, belief or other label to a person, and then making a request of that person consistent with that label.” The book gives an example of Luke Skywalker persuading Darth Vader to turn against the evil Emperor Palpatine with: “I know there’s still good in you. There’s good in you, I can sense it.” [3](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fn:3) Papyrus uses a more subtle version of the labeling technique, while Sans uses a more overt one at the midway point of his battle. [4](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fn:4)

Though _Undertale_ is just a game, it nonetheless causes emotional distress in Genocide Route players. Many Genocide Route players stop the route at Papyrus, because they can’t muster the will to kill him. Even those who do manage to kill him may, after hearing his dying words[5](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fn:5), lose their will to continue the route and reset.

Papyrus is the hardest boss, not because he has the most HP, or the strongest attacks, or is nearly impossible to hit, but because his response to someone who (in-universe) murdered many people of his town is kindness and compassion.[6](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fn:6)

* * *

  1. This is something Sans himself mentions as a possibility to explain the human’s killing in a Neutral Route judgment. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fnref:1)

  2. Papyrus is more intelligent than his goofy ways and selective naivete would suggest: after all, he did essentially trick Undyne into befriending a human, despite her prejudice against humans and repeated attempts to kill that human. However, if he were trying to use the labeling technique, he would surely omit the “First, you’re a freaking weirdo! Not only do you not like puzzles.” line for a greater chance of the technique working. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fnref:2)

  3. I tried double-checking the exact dialogue on YouTube and movie quote site, but either both sources are lacking a reference to that quote, or the exact quote doesn’t exist, and the book didn’t properly remember it or modified it for brevity’s sake. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fnref:3)

  4. **Papyrus:** “However! I, Papyrus, see great potential within you! Everyone can be a great person if they try!” and “Are you offering a hug of acceptance? Wowie!! My lessons are already working!!”  
**Sans:** “somewhere in there. i can feel it. there’s a glimmer of a good person inside of you. the memory of someone who once wanted to do the right thing. someone who, in another time, might have even been… a friend?”   
(For more information, see “[The Hug of Acceptance Parallel Between Papyrus and Sans](http://lefthanded-sans.tumblr.com/post/146383673724/the-hug-of-acceptance-parallel-between-papyrus-and)”.) [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fnref:4)

  5. **Papyrus death quote:** “W-well, that’s not what I expected…but…st-still! I believe in you! You can do a little better! Even if you don’t think so! I…I promise…" [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fnref:5)

  6. Though the outcome is controlled by the player, it must be pointed out Papyrus is directing his speech to the player character. [↩︎](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/post/175998904666/the-hardest-boss-of-the-genocide-route#fnref:6)




**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my [Tumblr](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/). Feel free to comment on this article there or here.


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